Althea frowned, her curiosity piqued but mixed with a growing sense of urgency. In her desperation, she turned to the next page, only to find a dire warning written in blood:
"Beware of the king. Stay far away from the quest to be a bride."
At the bottom of the page, a smaller note provided a glimmer of hope:
"There is a wall. A secret passage. It will lead you out of here. Be careful not to get caught. The consequences could be deadly. I will protect this book with magic. No one can see it. Stay safe, next bride."
Althea let out a sigh, absorbing the gravity of the situation and the message left by Carolina. It was clear that there was a way to escape the predicament she found herself in.
